The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-12-07
PROSPERITY IN AUBuRN.
Her Live Business Men Booming
Thriving City.
What the New Board Of Trade Has
Already Accomplished.
Enterprise Shown In Building and
Commercial Enterprises.
Especial to the Press.l

AuRuRN. Dec. 6.--Since the organization
of Boards of Trade in Lewiston and Auburn
respectively. wonderful business activity
has sprung up in the latter city, while the
Lewiston boom does not seem to materialize
so RAPIDLY. This is accounted for by the
fact that Lewiston has but few men who are
willing to come to the front and assist in
carrying out the plans advocated by the
Board. If, however, few Of them would
devote as much time and practical effort in
the direction of starting small industries, as
has president f. w. Dana of the Lewiston &
Auburn horse railroad (and indeed he stands
alone,. doubtless more would have been ac-
complished. But in Auburn, the men who
proposed measures for the promotion of the
city's interest, did not stop there. and Au-
burn will start business in 1888 encouraged
greatly by the present successful year,--a
year successful beyond precedent in its his
tory. A few of the names Of those men who
have been most prominently connected with
Auburns growth are: Ara Cushman, the
veteran shoe manufacturer; Hon. Geo. G.
Wing, who never misses an opportunity of
lending his valuable aid in all local enter
prises; Albert r. Savage, Judge Of Probate;
N. /. Jordan, president of the Auburn Aque-
duct Company; j. Wesley Huchins and ].
W. Mitchell.
This era of prosperity is marked. The
National Shoe & Leather Bank heads the
list by increasing its capital stock in the sum
of 100000 Up to the present time, during
the past season, over seventy dwelling houses
have been built, and today the people are
clamoring for rent; for every house that has
been built, three families have moved into
the city. The result is that rents are higher
and tenements scarcer than they have been
for years in this vicinity. 1t is the intention
of the Auburn Building & Loan Association
to erect twenty-five dwelling houses next
season, and it is estimated that at least two
hundred buildings, of various kinds, will be
built here. The association referred to will
then be in a position to help great many
people, which they could not do the past sea-
son on account of lack of ready funds. In
dividual effort, together with combined eapi-
tai, has been the means Of putting in opera
tion an axe. shovel and handle factory, a
hosiery factory and two factories for can
ming corn, all of which are in tlourishlng
condition. And now it is common talk that
a number of leading citizens have been In
con ference with Jordan IL Marsh of Boston,
the outcome of which will be the erection of
occupied as branch store by this firm. A
similar building, it is said, will be put upon
the lot which the county has offered for sale,
located on Court street, just above the court
house. A syndicate Is understood TO be In
terested in this scheme.
There is decided rivalry between Lewis
ton and Auburn. Auburn claims that by
starting places of business of different kinds
the traffic which now goes across the river to
Lewiston from Auburn and the adjoining
towns of Turner, Mechanic Falls, Minot,
Buckfeld and Hebron, will be cut of. She
claims that these towns, when compared
with the towns of Greene, Webster, Wales,
Leeds. ETC., the inhabitants Of which would
reach Lewiston as the first trade centre, are
far more independent.
At a meeting Of the Auburn Board of
Trade the other evening, 1t was voted to pub
lish a pamphlet containing a statement of
facts concerning the city and its various in
dustries and advantages, the appearance of
which is awaited with considerable interest.